Robert Allen Author & Editor

Sofie Blakstad is the CEO of transformational financial technology company hiveonline, which levels the competitive environment for small and micro businesses, expands sustainable investment and promotes community engagement, founded after a career building and transforming international banks. Her banking build expertise spans technology and business transformation programmes involving thousands of people in over 60 countries. Her blueprint for service aligned banks is the subject of her first book, Why Change? (2013). Sofie is an advisor to the G7 and G20 groups, the United Nations Environment Programme, and various governments and central banks on fintech, identity, trust and blockchain.

Robert Allen is an engineer and payments specialist, spending much of his career delivering major transformation programmes in international banks. More recently he has co-founded the Digital Asset Services practice for PwC and built the revolutionary Vulcan blockchain platform.  Rob is passionate about financial inclusion and has been targeting use cases for his platform to support financially under-served populations with new models based on digital identity, cryptocurrency and blockchain. Rob advises UNEP on blockchain and cryptocurrencies, is a board member of the Australian Payments Council, and is a mentor and advisor to numerous fintech startups.  A keen advocate of marine conservation issues, Rob is also a director of the Shark Conservation Society.